Side Story: I Made the Girl I Liked My Maid, Now She Gave Me Midnight Service

The mansion I live in is absurdly, almost comically massive.

Its sprawling garden stretches far beyond the nearest neighbors, leaving the entire estate shrouded in eerie silence once night falls. Even for a high school guy like me, who’s not exactly jumping at shadows, the atmosphere can feel just a touch unsettling.

“All done… that was fun.”

I tap my tablet, closing out a movie on a streaming site. With no one around to complain, I’d cranked the volume to its max, letting the sound fill the room as I soaked in every moment of the film. It was a story about a girl living alone in a creepy old mansion, toyed with by shady adults who kept breaking in, until the whole thing spiraled into unrelenting horror. The final act had her screams echoing nonstop—my eardrums were practically ringing.

The setting felt unnervingly close to my own home, making the immersion hit harder than usual.

“Keiji-kun.”

“Whoa!”

A soft knock—ton ton—cuts through the silence, and before I can even respond, the door swings open. Stepping inside is a striking girl dressed in a maid outfit: Hisaka Sayaka, the maid of this mansion and, coincidentally, my classmate.

“Oh, sorry. Were you watching something naughty? Sailor outfit? Bunny girl? Don’t tell me—maid stuff?”

“Can you not jump to conclusions and sprint with them?” I retort, sprawled on my bed with my tablet in hand. “I’m just chilling, watching a movie.”

And why’s she so obsessed with costume kinks, anyway?

“It’s just a regular film. Starts with some bumbling burglars for a comedic vibe, but then it escalates into a big incident—oops, spoilers.”

“I’m more of a novel gal, so I’ll pass on the details. More importantly, perfect timing.”

“Perfect timing?”

“Yup. There might be a burglar in this mansion right now.”

“Okay, that’s perfect—wait, what?” My voice spikes. A thief in this mansion?

“Like, right this very moment. Now.”

“Now!?”

Sayaka’s face remains as composed as ever, not a single flicker of emotion betraying her calm demeanor. She’s always like this—cool, collected, unflappable.

“I don’t usually show up this late, so you must’ve thought it was odd, right? You okay?”

“I’m freaked out.”

“Oi.”

But as my eyes drift downward, I catch sight of her knees, just visible beneath the hem of her maid skirt, trembling like leaves in a storm. That cool face of hers? It’s just a front. She’s putting on a brave act, and not a particularly convincing one at that.

“I was finishing up in the kitchen when I heard something from the second floor. The window at the far end was rattling. I thought it was just the wind at first, but it’s definitely something hitting the glass.”

“Seriously?” My room’s on the second floor too, but I hadn’t noticed a thing.

“What’s up with our security system? Sayaka, stay here.”

“Got it.”

“…Oi.”

Before I can take a step, Sayaka lunges forward and wraps her arms around me, clinging tightly from the front. The, ahem, generous curves of her maid outfit press firmly against my chest, and for a split second, my brain short-circuited.

“I’ll make sure to stay nice and close to my master.”

“That’s not what I meant by ‘here’!” I sputter, frozen in place. I can’t even move like this! Or, well, part of me doesn’t want to move, savoring the softness—er, focus, Keiji, focus.

“If you left me behind in a situation like this, I’d be in trouble. No way, don’t go!”

“Hmmm…” I glance down at her. Sayaka’s holding on for dear life, clearly not about to let go. This mansion’s creepy enough at night, and with a potential intruder lurking, I can’t blame her for not wanting to be left alone.

“Fine, but at least stay behind me. Let’s go.”

“Yes, Master…” Her voice is quieter now, the playful “Master” she usually tosses out as a joke carrying a slight tremble. She must be more rattled than she’s letting on.

With Sayaka practically glued to my back, I step out of the room and make my way toward the far end of the second floor. Sure enough, a faint rattling echoes through the hallway—not the howl of wind, but a distinct, deliberate knocking against the window. The curtains are drawn, hiding whatever’s outside.

“Come to think of it,” I mutter, “the garden tree’s branches stretch pretty close to this window. Maybe someone’s climbing up to break in?” The tree outside was thick, its sprawling branches perfect for climbing if someone was bold enough.

“Let’s do this quick.” I steel myself, raising my voice. “Hey, who’s there!”

Flicking on my phone’s flashlight, I yank the curtains open and aim the beam outside.

“Nyaaan!”

“Huh?”

Perched on a branch just outside the window is a black cat, its eyes glinting in the sudden light. Startled, it leaps from the branch to the trunk, scampering down the tree in a blur of motion and vanishing into the darkness.

“So fast! Wait, it’s just a cat… talk about a false alarm. Probably came looking for food.”

“Nyaaan…”

For some reason, Sayaka mimics the cat with a soft whimper and slumps to the floor, her maid skirt fanning out around her.

“That cat… I gave it food and milk, and it still causes all this fuss…”

“You’ve been feeding it, Sayaka?” With the mansion’s massive garden, it’s no surprise a cat could slip in unnoticed.

“So, that’s the deal, Keiji-kun.”

“Hm?”

“As a capable maid, I’m always on guard, protecting the mansion even in the middle of the night.”

“…Reliable as ever,” I mocked. The way she’s trying to brush off her earlier meltdown with bravado is honestly kind of pitiful—but also, undeniably cute. I know I shouldn’t enjoy seeing the usually unflappable maid so spooked, but I can’t help it.

“Come on, Sayaka.”

“…Thanks.” She grabs it tightly, her grip surprisingly firm as I pull her to her feet.

Gotta admit, I owe that troublemaking cat a bit of thanks. It gave me a glimpse of this adorable, vulnerable side of my maid. Next time, I’ll make sure to set out some tasty food and milk for it myself.

“So, Keiji-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“After something like this, you must be scared, right? No choice then—out of loyalty, your devoted maid will sleep with you tonight.”

“Hold up, the one who was scared was you, Sayaka—”

“My own loyalty scares me,” she interrupts, her tone dramatic as she latches onto my sleeve with an iron grip. Her resolve was practically tangible—she was not letting go anytime soon. Even with the “burglar” mystery solved, she’s clearly still shaken.

“As your maid, I’ll protect your bedroom tonight. Don’t worry.” She looks up at me, her eyes shimmering with a mix of nervous concern and that familiar teasing spark.

Yup, that cat deserves a medal. A flustered, scared Sayaka is heart-poundingly adorable. Nights in this creepy mansion might just turn out to be fun every now and then—